Automatic boat-releaser.



W. P. WILLIAMS.

AUTOMATIC BOAT RBLEASBR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1914.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Z SHEETS-SHBET l.

THE MORRIS` PETERS Co., PHOTQLITHG., wAsHjNroN, D4

W. P. WILLIAMS.

AUTMATIG BOAT RELBASER.

APPLIOATIQN FILED APR. 25, 1914.

1,1 14,088. Patented oct. 2o, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

VVVVV THE NORRls PETERS Cn., PHOTOLITHO.. WASHINGTON, D4 C.

WILLIAM FRANCIS WILLIAMS, 0F FISHGUARD, ENG'rLAIhTD.`

. iUToMATIo near-nisinnasnn.

Specification of Letters Patent Application filed April 25,1914. Serial No, 834,526.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRANCIS lll/Timmers, a subject of the King of England, and resident of Fishguard, Pembroke shire, England, have invented certain new and useful linproveinents in Automatic Boat-Iieleasers, of which the following is a specification.

iThis invention is a contrivance to release a boat automatically when the full weight of the boat has been taken olf the ships falls, (or such Suspenders) by the water.

The shackles of the lower fall blocks are retained in engagement by spring-pressed bolts which are withdrawn when the boat is water borne by an inextensible cord pulled by a :springset in tension by a lever, the pull of this latter spring being sufficient to overcome that of the other springs and withdraw the bolts simultaneously.

rllhe invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l shows a plan of a boat fitted with iny invention. 2 is a side elevation of the hook engaging the shackle of the lower fall-block. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the levered spring device under the central thwart v(the handle being above the thwart) or the thwart farthest aft.

A is a bolt, the lower part of an iron rod traveling through the holes D and E and bent at eyelet hole G.

B is a bolt, the upper part of the saine iron rod traveling through the holes C, and F backward and forward in the same direction as holt A. The use of A is to keep the bolt B in position with the` aid `of the spring Q. Bolt A is made that niuch longer than bolt B1 so as to allow B to be drawn back till the end of B is in the hole F, before the lccknuts J press the spring Q, against the hole D. Bolt B is also long enough to retain a hold on hole C when not drawn back. The use of bolt B is to act as a shackle-bolt to secure the boat to the links or shacklesof the lower pulleys of davitsfalls, when the bolt is not drawn back.

S, and T, and U, and M, and N and Z is a plate of iron shaped in such a manner' so as to be a fralne with holes in it to allow bolts A and B to travel backward and forward in the saine direction as described. There is also a threaded hole in the T-part of the frame, viz. the lower part of the `down to the boats keel) frame, so as to admitthe frame to be screwed fast to the iron rod O (that goes and locked with thenut R, or riveted.

N is the continuation of M; the part Z of the frame has also a continuation the saine as N (see Fig. l). l

JH is a space out betweenZ and M and alsobetween their continuations to act as a guide to the bolt B to enter the hole F when the boat is to be secured to the links or shackles of the lower pulleys of davitsfalls. rlhe space H is made large enough to allow the bolt B to move forward freely.

rIlle use of locknuts J is that they are locked in a position on bolt A, so as to press backward and the spring tu against the hole D immediately the bolt B has passed the hole `F when the bolts A and B are drawn back for releasing `the boat. I y

YV is the threaded end ofbolt A. The flat spring Q. has got a hole at the upper end, big ,enough to allow the spring Q to inake the arc of a circle, without the edges of the hole, pressing against the bolt A. `The lower end of the flat spring Q is secured by a grip to the iron rod O that goes down through the boat to the boats keel. The grip is provided with locknuts L and `washer K to secure the lower part of the tial-spring Q to the rod O.

`O'is a screw adjuster. it has a hoo-k to hook on to the eyelet hole Gr, it also has a locknut to lock it when it is screwed up to adjust the tension of the wire rope 7; it has also a swivel to allow the rope to be "tensioned without twisting it (rope). The

swivel' part of the adjuster has got a hole 6 to fasten the wire rope 7 to the adjuster; one end of the iron that forins part of the hook is threaded so as to be screwed into the fraine of the adjuster and locked with a nut.

The lever device shown in Fig. 3 is connected by connecting links 36, that are attachedto wire rope 7 that leads through fairlead pulleys to the screw adjuster 50, that is hooked on to the hook shown in Fig. 2 that is placed at the bow, and another of the saine kind placedy at the stern of a boat.

The lever device `shown in Fig. 3, is a frameof a triangular shape made of pieces of iron 14, and 15, and 16; these pieces of iron are riveted together and fitted with the Patented oct. 20,1914. l

iron rod 83, that is fastened to spring 25, that is hooked on to the hook 21 (see F ig. 1) that is screwed into lever 11, that is screwed to the lug 85 of the triangular frame, with the threaded pin'S locked with a nut.

The iron 14, and iron 15, and iron 16 are rivetedk together with rivets 22, and 23, and l10 in such a manner as to allow the lever 11 to be'placed from one top corner of the fra-ine to the other top corner of the frame. The member 16 of the triangular frame has a bend at both ends; and is provided with a catch 24 to hold the lever 11 when the strain is put on the spring to draw back the bolt B, of Fig. The member 16 has also holes 1S and 19; the use of hole 18 is te admit the end of a marlinespike, or something similar to pass through it to hold `the lever 11 in position when the apparatus is getting adjusted. The use of hole 19 is also to admit the end oit a marlinespike t0 pass through it to hold lever 11 in position; that is, should the spring 25 at any time exceed the required strength that is necessary te adjust the apparatus when the lever is set at hole 18. The member 15 of the triangular frame is provided with a lug 30 at the top end, screws pass through the lug into the underside of the boats thwart to secure themfrarne inV position, the member 14 of the triangular trame is provided with ,ai lug 27 at the top end oi' it, screws pass through the lug to secure the frame in position. The member 14 of the triangular traine is also provided with a lug 35 at the bottom end to secure the lower end of lever 11, by the means of passing a threaded pin 8 through a hole in the lever and screwing the pin into the lug 35, and lock the pin with a'nut, as stated. The lever 11 has got a handle 1'? for the operator to catch hold of when the lever is to be drawn back to the catch 24, or Jfreed from catch 24; the lever is also provided with the threaded hole 20; the hook 21 is screwed into the hole 20 and locked with a nut) below the upper edge of the member 1G of the triangular frame, when the lever 11 is in the middle. The hook 21 is curved at the hooking end of it so as to avoid the spring 25 from slipping off when no weight is on the spring 25.

rlhe iron rod 33 is provided with the hole 26, to which one end of the spring 25 is secured; the iron rod 33 is also provided with a hole 32 of an oblong shape, big enough to link on to it the connecting links 36 free of each other. The iron rod is provided with guides 31, and 34 so that the rod 33, and spring 25 will not go down'ifreni the 'thwart when no weight is on the spring Guides 31, and 34 for the rod are placed under the thwart so as to allow the red pass backward, and forward sufiiciently for the bolt ll of F ig. 2 to answer its purpose, viz. to secure the boat to the falls and release the boat when required.

The connecting links 36 are engaged so that when the wire ropes 7 have stretched, 'the connection between the bolt B and the lever 11 can be shortened by the co. necting links, and adjusted by the adjuster 5&0. The wire rope 7 leads straight in the middle ot the beat from adjuster '30 to a ilaiilead pul ley (that is placed at a suilicient distance from adjuster so that the adjuster 50 will not touch the pulley when the lever 11 is placed at the catch 24) then the wire rope is led at a right angle to a pulley at the boats side and thence along the inner side of' the boats side through fair-lead stables (to keep the wire rope close to the side clear oi the Cargo) to the rollers 51 and through the rollers to the links A boat releasing gear, comprising in combination, shackles of the lower blocks of the falls, spring-pressed bolts engaged by said shackles, cords to withdraw said bolts upon the boat being water-borne, a spring connected with said cords, and a lever to set the spring in4 tension for a withdrawal of the bull/S, Substantially as and for the plu'- pose set forth.

WILLIAM FRANClS WIlililAllIS. lVitnesses Trion'as Monsiiivs, Jorn THOMAS VILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

` Washington, D. C. 

